6 Possible Long-Term Injuries From Car Accidents

One of the worst things that every driver and passenger fears are getting involved in road accidents. Car accidents don’t only pose damage to your vehicle, but they can also put greater risk and deadly threats to your health or life. Whether it’s a major road accident or a minor one, you’re still more likely to sustain physical injuries caused by the impact or the force of the collision. While some of these injuries could heal after a few weeks or months of hospital treatment, some injuries could also last long-term, or worst, for life.   

Here are six possible long-term injuries you may sustain from car accidents. Knowing in advance may be helpful if ever you get involved in a road accident, so you’ll be prepared on what to expect.   

• Whiplash   

The most common injury anyone can get from a minor or massive car accident is Whiplash. Whiplash is a back and neck injury that happens when your neck and back are forcefully and rapidly moved back and forth due to a strong impact, usually by rear-end collisions. A rear-end collision is when another vehicle hits or collides with your car from behind, causing much strain on your tendons and muscles around the neck and back.   

When the accident is not too severe or the impact isn’t too strong, you may only experience generalized body pain that will dissipate after a few weeks. However, suppose the accident was severe, your whiplash injury could last for months or even years, accompanied by other symptoms like body numbness, fatigue, and chronic neck and back pain. This on point article and other sources will help you further understand how a back and neck injury like Whiplash can affect your physical health and ability for the long term.  

• Burns  

Burns can happen if the accident has caused the car engine to explode and start a fire. Explosion or fire vehicle accidents can be severe, and the burns you could get from this accident could last for a lifetime, depending on the degree of burn and which part of your body was affected. Besides fire, burn injuries can also be caused by other factors like:  

• Getting in contact with toxic chemicals during the accident 
• Accidentally touching a live current  
• Deployment of an airbag 
• Getting locked in place by your seatbelt 

Regardless of how you got your burn injury, you need to seek immediate medical help before it becomes life-threatening.

• Fractures  

Bone fractures happen during high-speed impacts. When the impact was too strong and too fast that causes your car to distort and crumple, it fractures the bones from your arms, legs, or other parts of the body. In worst cases, your ribcage, skull, and spine could crack or misalign due to too much restraining force.   

One or multiple fractures will require immediate medical attention as these could be deadly when not treated on time. Most often, operated fractures would take months or years before they fully recover. However, when the fracture was poorly aligned, or the surgery was too late, it could lead to lifelong disability and discomfort.   

• Lacerations  

When the car accident has caused your windscreens and car windows to shatter, the sharp edges of the glass could cause cuts on your skin, otherwise known as lacerations. In worst cases, a severe wound is when your skin is severely torn off, showing off the underlying tissue or even your bone. This injury will require surgical intervention, and the healing may take months or years. Most of the time, lacerations will also leave you with lifetime scars or impaired functioning.  

• Internal Bleeding  

Internal bleeding happens when you have bone fractures during the accident, yet it hasn’t shown any physical symptoms. That’s why whether you’ve been in a minor or major car accident, you’re always required to seek medical attention to find out if you’ve suffered from internal injuries and possibly internal bleeding. When left untreated, this injury could escalate quickly and cause your vital organs to malfunction, lifetime traumatic brain injury, or worst, immediate death.   

• Herniated Disk  

It is a spinal injury in which your spine bulges outward due to a strong impact, bringing severe pain and leading to lifetime disability and impairment when not treated immediately. Even if it’s a minor spine injury, proper treatment is required to avoid possible complications.   

Final Thoughts  

Going through any of these injuries will never be easy. Not to mention that you’ll also be more likely to experience emotional trauma. Thus, to avoid your injuries from lasting long-term or lifelong, always remember to seek medical attention immediately and get the proper treatment you need.